[JURIST] Twenty-five judicial officials were removed from their offices in the Lagos State Judiciary [official website] in Nigeria [JURIST news archive] Monday following allegations of corruption and bribery. State Attorney General Oluyemi Osinbajo announced the firings of 22 magistrates and three judges as part of a state and nation-wide attempt to crack down on judicial corruption using new policies that made merit the primary determination for a judge's retention on the bench. Osinbajo argued that the measures have "enriched the state judiciary and changed the overall culture of judicial appointment for the better."

Nigeria faces continuing challenges of government corruption, with the national Senate previously indicting former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Akubakar on charges of diverting public funds for private use [JURIST report]. The Vanguard has more.